Remember the love
by Hazy-chan
Summary: What would Ren do when he is finally getting married to Kyoko but she disapears. Read and find out
1. Prologue

My first ever fanfic that is going to be longer than a 1000 words. I hope everyone can guide me along. I am not good at summaries but here it goes.

What if Ren and Kyoko were finally getting married but something happens to Kyoko and Ren is heartbroken. Well read to find out more.

I don't want to give to much away, and i also don't know how much I should give away that won't make my plot to obvious so I'll leave it that. Hope you enjoy and tell me what you think about the prologue.

Also I do not own Skip Beat or it's characters but I do own this story and the characters that I will add later on

**Kyoko's POV**

I looked around the airport for Tsuruga-san. 'I should probably start calling him Kuon' I thought to myself. I have been trying to get used to the fact that Ren Tsuruga-my senpai and now the love of my life, was also Kuon, my childhood friend- for the past year.

I was starting to panic when I couldn't see him through the big, foreign airport. After a year of dating Tsuruga-san, he proposed and I said yes without hesitation and now we were going back to Japan after announcing our engagement to Tsuruga-san's parents and my adopted father to announce it to the world. Two well known stars would have difficulties if they were to hide the fact that they are getting married. I was imagining my wedding with Tsuruga-san. Him in a prince costume and me in a princess costume and make-up done by Muse. I was having wild imagination while people started to watch me either laughing or trying to pretend that nothing was happening at all. I stopped and looked at the ring Tsuruga-san gave me that was made from the stone "corn" and shapped as a star and I smilled blissfully. I went back over the week we had in America and realized we were legally married. The reason for that was that when we told Tsuruga's parents about our engagement they were so excited that before we realized me and Tsuruga were in a courthouse signing the papers makeing me Kyoko Tsuruga Hizuri. We decided that we were going to make the wedding in Japan where I could have all my fantasies come to life.

**Ren's POV**

I was a little bit behind watching her. I finally got the love of my life. She made realize many things and helped me let go of my painful past. The only reason I even came back was because she was with me. I was all smiles since she said yes to my proposal. It was only a year ago when she was spinning around trying to deny her feelings for me. After 3 months of spinning she figured out that Sho was just a comfort for her. Her love for him was something that kept her rooted. It was a delusion because of her sad and painful past and the lack of love from people around her.

I was gazing at her some more when she turned on the fantasy land look and started acting crazy seen like that by people who didn't know her. I smirked and took steps towards her. She finally stopped and looked at the ring I gave her and smiled a beautiful smiled that made a couple of guys look, which made me glare at them. The ring was made from the stone "Corn" I gave her when we were children and it meant a lot to both of us and I shaped it into a star, because she was the star of my life and a great star in show busniess like she always wanted to be.

I tapped her shoulder and she turned around a little scared, but then relaxed when she saw me. She smiled the same beautiful smiled she smiled when she looked at the ring. I smiled as well.

I hugged her and she hugged me back and then she muttered something I couldn't understand.

"What?" I asked her looking into her eyes with a puzzled expression.

"I love you, Kuon." She said blushing furiously. I blushed as well but I was so happy that I pulled her closer and kissed her passionately and whispered in her ear "I love you too, Kyoko Tsuruga Hizuri."

We finally embarked the plane to go home and I was the happiest man on the planet that day.

I opened my eyes and couldn't see anything but white. The last thing I remember was trying to not let go of Kyoko's hand.

"Kyoko? Kyoko!" I got up fast and the blood rushed to my head makeing me lightheaded.

"Stay down." Someone said pushing me down back on the bed.

I cautiously raised myself the second time.

"Where is Kyoko? I was holding her hand. Where is she?" I asked the nurse.

She shook her head. I couldn't understand that so I looked around the room for another person to tell me where my fiancé is or better yet my wife.

I looked at Yashiro but his head was hanging low not even looking at me and Maria had tears in her eyes. The only one I could turn to was the president.

"WHERE IS SHE?" I yelled frustrated.

"Stop, Ren. Kyoko…. She…." the president answered not really looking into my eyes

"What?" I asked a little bit more calm so that I could get an answered.

"They..." he kept on staling and finally answered painfully the words that I never wanted to hear "they didn't find her."

I lost all strenght and left my head fall back on the pillow.

"But..." I raised my head and looked at him to see what other horrors he would be telling me "they found this" He held out his hand and placed Kyoko's necklace in my hand. It was the necklace I gave her on her 17th birthday that she named "queen Rosa."

From there my life lost its meaning.

I stayed in show businesses because it was my promise to her and I thought maybe she would see me on TV and come back since they never found her body. I looked at the necklace every day hoping that one day she would show up and reclaim it.


	2. Chapter 1

_A new chapter. Sorry to everyone who has been waiting so long. Internet has been down for like forever and it still is but i really wanted to upload. There isn't much in this chapter but i really wanted to write something and it all ties in with the next chapter that will be coming as soon as possible. Already written it on paper still have to transfer it on the computer. Thanks for reading and please review. PLEASE. It will make me want to write more :) And thank you everyone who reviewed and put the story on their updated link. ENJOY_

* * *

**about 11 years later, in a village outside Osaka**

"Ren! Kanae!" A women who looked like 25, but was actually 30, shouted at two kids who had their backs turned to her. The women had amber eyes and over the shoulder black hair with bangs that were long and to one side, she had sweat drops forming on her small forehead. She looked a little plain but she looked amazing with a little bit of light make up and with her height she looked like a model. She didn't like make up though or being the center of attention but she always attracted looks and attracted people to her without realizing. The two kids turned around scared, it was never a good idea to make Kissa Ryotarou mad.

"Mmooomm?" the girl, named Kanae, asked stuttering and turning to face the women as did the little boy named Ren. The girl looked like her mother and except for the age factor people would have said they were twins but her personality was nothing like her mother. The girl was more on the sidelines but she always did everything perfectly and was seen as a rare beauty by the boys in her school, a lady to the core and the girls were trying to please her any time, her mother on the other hand was always in the center and was seen as the cute type of women, down to earth not really a beauty but there were moments when her mom was really beautiful. She wore her school uniform; checkered skirt with a light blue blazer and a white shirt underneath, her hair was short and hidden under a black cap.

"You two should be in school right now." The women stated not really mad, she understood why her kids were out her in the first place. It would have been hard to keep anyone in school when famous people were there. There was a shooting of drama going on in the village because of its cold weather and the beautiful mountain look.

"But mooom" the boy whined "the two actors you love are here,.. The ones we were named after." He added. The women looked at the boy, who had the same kind of attire except instead of a skirt he had pants and his cap was hiding his golden locks and his green eyes.

The women looked at the set longingly. She did want to meet her two favorite actors Ren Tsuruga and Kanae Kotonami.

She looked at the kids and shook her head.

"We can't" she took their wrist and turned both of them towards the set and lower herself to their voice and talked lower "your grandfather got us in trouble again" she sighed accepting her fate the kids turned solemnly. They finally got used to the village and they have only been there a month. They moved all over the Asian countries trying to run from their grandfather's mistakes since they were born meaning 10 years and they were getting a little tired of it. She looked behind and they did the same, noticing three gang-like men and immediately realized it was time to go.

"We are going to meet each other at the train station." They looked at her "yes we are going to split up. Kanae go left and Ren go right." They nodded. She let go of their wrist and they were about to run or leave quietly, they were good at that. 10 years of practice after all. She grabbed them again and hugged them "Be careful" then she took both of them by the shoulders and stared into their eyes "and in no circumstance are you allowed to get caught." She looked at them sternly and they nodded and took off as did she.


	3. Chapter 2

**Sorry for updating so slow. I have work and school going on and now I started a new story. Hope you guys check that one as well. But it's mostly that when I am not at school, I am at work if I am not at work I am at school and if neither is going on I am asleep. I barely manage to do anything else. So Sorry and hope you enjoy the new chapter. Thank you for your support.**

**Disclaimer: I don not own Skip Beat and I am glad though owning Ren would make me ecstatic ^_^ **

At the same time the women called out the names "ren and kanae" the two famous actors on the set looked up from whatever they were doing.

Yashiro's POV

I was watching my charge, the famous actor in show business Ren Tsuruga when suddenly he looked up and looked around. I thought of this as strange, after all he never took anything in consideration and he never paid attention to anything besides acting. He stared at me and I became self-conscious.

"What is it Ren?" I asked him a little taken aback. He stared some more and finally asked with a hopeful voice.

"Did you hear that?"

I strained to hear whatever made him look up and couldn't hear anything except for the shouts and bustle of the crew that was setting up the cameras and everything else for the next scene.

"No. What?" I asked curious though I should have left it alone.

"I thought I heard her calling me." I froze while my heart was going a mile a second. "Her" can only mean Kyoko I thought, desperately whishing that maybe he meant someone else. He hasn't said Kyoko's name since the hospital and even when a drama had that name as their main character he would not accept it and then the directors if they really wanted Ren which most of the time they did, would change the girl's name though there were some objections from the writer sometimes, but Ren always got his way.

"I a-am sor-r-ry Ren I d-d-i-in't he-a-ar-r any-tthing." I answered stammering.

"Oh!" he exclaimed going back to whatever he was doing before he looked up.

I turned my back to him and let out a reliving breath that I didn't really know I was holding. I also let my heart calm down. I inhale and exhaled a couple of times. If this happened a little while ago, especially with the day Kyoko disappeared (nobody really wanted to admit she was gone) approaching this would have been the worst day of my life.

I turned and looked at Ren. It's not that I wasn't happy that he might move on but it seemed so sudden. I kept staring trying to figure out if he found somebody else or he is willing to let Kyoko go when his sharp gaze fell on me and asked annoyed.

"What is it Yashiro?"

"N-nothing." I answered "I am going to get some water." I said trying to get away from the sharp gaze and the man who most times I had a very hard time understanding especially when it came to Kyoko. It has been like that since the two of them met. I smiled at the memory of him saying that he doesn't hate her, he just dislikes her. That same girl became the most important thing in his life not only he started liking her but he also fell in love with her. I smile wider but then I turned sorrowful, that girl I really wished she was alive and near him, like they were supposed to be and instead of being sad on this month they would have been happy because they were finally together and married. I looked at the schedule and sighed. I have to clear up the two weeks that were coming up because in one of those days was the day she died. I was the only one who thought she was actually dead.

As I was staring at the planner to make room for that day I could feel someone coming closer to me trembling I raised my eyes and I could see Kotonomi-san's manager near me. She was a petite woman about 5 feet 4 inches who had a lot of spunk and she was an incredible manager to put up with as difficult a charge as Ren.

"Nami-san what's wrong?" I asked her concerned. I was a little bit attracted to her but I didn't know how she felt about me and we barely had time to interact with each other when we were on shoots. There was also the fact that our charges barely acknowledge each other. Kotonomi-san resented Ren for losing her best friend and Ren felt guilty about it so much so that she hated Kotonomi-san for making him remember every day that he lost the love of his life. Though it was a miracle that they had so many movies that starred opposite each other.

"Kotonomi-san" she leaned towards me as I lean towards her and whispered barely audible "mentioned her."

I gasped while Nami-san nodded on the verge of crying. I was going to have a heart attack today. "Her" again can only mean Kyoko. Both actors stopped saying her name since that fateful day and they were the same when Kyoko was involved. A couple of years ago just the fact that they might have heard her drove both actors to look through the crowds for her making a big problem for anyone involved but they were the best actors in the industry and those things were never held against them.

"What happened?" I asked fearful while she was getting herself under control.

"She asked me if I heard" the name was said in whispered too "Kyoko calling her." My heart was again going a mile a minute.

"And?" I asked eager to know if Kotonomi-san started running and will be causing delays today.

The manager shrugged "When I answered no, she took out her phone and dialed Hio-kun's number so they could talk about Hime's upcoming school festival and if both of them are going to attend or just one, or skip it all together."

I started dumfounded "That's it?" I almost shouted.

"Yes. I know what you are thinking Yashiro-san and I was thinking the same that's why I started to tremble but when she made no move I was even more fearful that maybe something even worse will happen, cause I could see she wasn't immersed in her character enough to not react."

"That's what happened to Ren!" I exclaimed.

Nami-san looked at me questingly.

"Ren thought he heard Kyoko as well" I said urgently though in a whisper as well, for fear that the actors might hear us "but he didn't react, he went back to staring or memorizing his lines in his head, either way he didn't react at all."

"Do you think they are trying to get over her?" She asked a little hopeful.

I shook my head to say I don't know and went back when I heard Ren being called while Nami-san went back to her charge.

It was unbelievable to hear that Ren as well as Kotonomi-san heard Kyoko calling for them. Was that a coincidence or something else? I scanned the crowd. Then shook my head 'I must be going crazy, since they aren't' I thought.


	4. Chapter 3

**OK. I have to say sorry for anyone who has been waiting for this chapter for forever. It might be disappointing a little but for me I loved writing the plane scene. Anyways give a shout out to oneleggedstraycat who agreed to be my editor. Thank you again and it helped for you to correct my chapter. Check her own story named **Ludwig's Metronome. Amazing story

**Enjoy**

**Disclaimer: NO WAY DO I OWEN SKIP BEAT (I wished I owned Ren though)**

Kissa's POV  
I stepped off the train and took a look around. 'Tokyo' I thought silently. A big city, a city with so many people and yet I always felt alone. I hated it; I haven't come to Tokyo since I left eight years before when my kids were two years old. The city made me long for someone; it made me extremely lonely, like I was supposed to be with someone. I was meant to be near someone. I shook myself from my thoughts when I had to help my kids get the luggage.  
"Mom! This is so cool," Ren exclaimed looking around trying to see everything at once. I smiled and looked at Kanae. She rolled her eyes. I chuckled.  
"It is very big," I said, but I knew he wouldn't be able to hear my words. The kids have always been very fascinated with the city. Ren, the most. He wanted to be an actor, just like Ren Tsuruga. I didn't want him to be. Both Kanae and Ren asked me why, but I was never able to respond. There was something about the entertainment world that terrified me. I loved watching the actors play and some people even said that they thought I should be one, but every time someone mentioned it, I would shudder subconsciously. I had some disagreements with both kids about it, but it never lasted long. I really wanted them to enjoy their lives and be able to go and give 110% to everything, but I could never agree with them on the matter of being entertainers no matter how much I wanted to let them follow their dreams, though they did have special skills. They had a knack for imitating each other so well that sometimes they posed as each other at school and none would be the wiser. The only way I would discover it was when the teachers would call me about some problems with one of them missing or something dealing with them that could not be explained.  
"Where are we going to stay mom?" Kanae asked me, always the practical girl.  
I smiled reassuringly.  
"I have a friend I kind of kept in touch with over the years named Akira Seiji who might be able to help me. I just hope he is still where he is," I mumbled as an afterthought. She grabbed my arm and leaned on it.  
"I hope so too."  
Then we both turned towards Ren, who was jumping and taking the entire city into gulps. I laughed and she smiled.  
"I think Ren will like it here" I said smiling  
She laughed answering, "I think so too."

Ren Tsuruga's POV 

_We are sorry to announce that the plane is having some turbulence. Nothing to worry about but be ready for a not so pleasant ride. I grabbed her hand and held on to it. She looked at me and touched her small gentle hand on my cheek. I looked at her surprised. She was never for public affection, and she even lectured me on kissing her in front of everyone before we boarded the plane. I kissed her hand and put my own hands on her cheek. She squirmed giggling.  
"Ren, you're cold."  
I took my hands and rubbed them together. Then I put them back on her cheeks and said seriously, "Is this better?"  
She laughed the laugh I love so much which she only releases when she is truly happy and said while putting her hands over mine, "Much better," and closed her eyes content.  
I pulled her towards me and kissed her forehead when turbulence erupted and caused the air masks to pop out from overhead. I grabbed hers and put it on her immediately. As I did mine, she looked at me scared. I attempted to hide the feeling of being terrified. It wasn't that I was scared of dyeing. I was scared of losing her. She started to laugh, really a belly laugh, quite inappropriate for the situation, but Kyoko was never a person who acted according to the situation. I looked at her questioningly. She answered between laughs,  
"You look so unlike you Ren, and it's funny." She laughed more until she doubled over. I smiled at her. 'That's Kyoko and the women I fell madly in love with. Even in a life and death situation she finds a way to surprise me.'  
There was a harder shake of the plane and her laughter died. She looked out the window where there was only blackness and then back at me with fear. I sobered up and took her in my arms.  
"I'll protect you, Kyoko. Always."  
She leaned into my arms hugging me. "I believe you, Kuon."  
All of a sudden a great crash shook the plane. The plane overturned, and I lost hold of her hand.  
"Kyoko? Kyoko?" I searched through the water that effulged the plane and through the darkness that was becoming denser and harder to see through, but suddenly I was hit in the head by something horrible and lost consciousness, and the name died on my lips.  
"Ren, Ren, I love you. Remember that." She smiled and I faintly blushed but her form grew smaller and began to fade.  
"Kyoko! Kyoko wait, don't leave." I made to grab her hand but she faded. "Kyooooookoooo!" I screamed.  
"I love you_" were the only words I heard before I woke up drenched in sweat in my apartment ten years later. I sighed and dragged my hand through my hair. I looked at my wrist and on it was Queen Rosa. I kissed it like I do every day.  
"I wish you would come back. I miss you too much." I recently stopped having so many recurring nightmares. It wasn't that I didn't want to remember her but it was painful to wake up to a life without her. Maybe I dreamt about her again because I thought I heard her two weeks ago at the last movie location. I didn't want to be disappointed again so I didn't chase after the sound. I have been disappointed again and again, but now I regret it. 'What if it was her?'  
*Beeeep* Beeeeep*  
My alarm clock announced the start of another day. I flung my legs over the bed and looked at the nightstand. There I saw a picture of me and her on our wedding day. I still haven't told anyone that we were married except my parents who were present and they held onto the secret for my sake. I touched her cheek on the frame and said what I always tell her in the morning.  
"I love you Kyoko," I sighed again and went to take a shower. Today was the day the president assigned for me to be present when the director chooses the boy who will play with me in the next drama. I just never understood the president. The only thing I wanted was to act, but he kept on pushing me in situations for me to be involved in the "world" and that I "can't always be stuck in the past". I wish he would just let me stay in the past. It was much better than the present. 


	5. Chapter 4

_**All right I have finally wrote a new one chapter. With the help of my editor, who not only helped with my grammer but also some more pointers on bringing you the best chapter I have ever written. To thank my editor I would recommend for you guys to read her own amazing story named **__Ludwig's Metronome, __**where Ren is in the future as his past self.**__**Well enjoy this chapter and I wrote especially for 21han, who is waiting for my other story and since I have a little bit of a problem with that, hope you enjoy this.**_

_**Disclaimer: Do NOT OWN Skip Beat, but it would be amazing to own Ren ^-^**_

**Kanae's POV**

"Kanae, will you go get your brother?" Mom asked me after I set the table. I nodded.

It's been two weeks since we came to Tokyo. Mom found Seiji-san and he found us a place to stay. He told us to call him Akira onii-san, but that always left a weird taste in my mouth. I didn't like being disrespectful and neither did Ren. Mom raised us to be very respectful and very traditional Japanese and calling Akira onii-san just seemed improper. But the place he got us was amazing. I don't remember ever living in a place as big as the one we were living in. It had two bedrooms: one for mom and one for Ren and me. It even had a separate bathroom and a kitchen. Sometimes I would think I would get lost in it, that's how big I thought it was.

"En-chi, come eat so we can go to school," I called out to my brother. I nicknamed him that when I had a hard time distinguishing from Ren, the actor, and Ren, the brother. It is strange to think that we call a person that we don't even know nor were we giving permission by his first name. I asked mom about why she calls the actor Ren and not Tsuruga-san and after thinking for half a day or so she answered that she didn't know. It just seemed obvious to call him Ren. I opened the door to find him scrambling to cache something away in his pants.

"What's that?" I asked closing the door behind me. I knew whatever it was would upset mom.

"What are you talking about? What's what?" he asked composedly, as he used his hand to casually brush through his hair. His eyes scanned the room as he pretended to innocently search for the thing I asked about. He really can be a good actor. Too bad I knew him too well.

"Ren, I know you are hiding something from me." He stared at me like I was crazy. I sighed. "I promise I won't tell mom about it." He stared at me as he weighed the options of to tell me or not. Finally he sighed in defeat. Truthfully I don't even know why he tries, I always find out.

He reluctantly pulled a small flyer out of his pocket and handed it to me with a mild expression of guilt. I read over it and my eyes bulged out. It was an audition call for 8-10 year olds.

"You want to do WHAT?" I shouted.

"Shhh." He leaped over and slammed his hands over my mouth.

"Kids, what's going on? Come eat!" Mom shouted from the kitchen.

"We're coming, Mom. Just a minute," my brother shouted back.

"Suury…" I mumbled through his hand with an apologetic look.

He took his hands away and then looked down in sadness.

"Are you going to tell her?" he asked in a whisper.

I gave him an affectionate look. I might love my mom a lot, but I also deeply care about my brother, and it seemed unreasonable to me her aversion towards the two of us acting, especially when she followed the dramas of Kanae Kotonami and Ren Tsuruga and always gushed about how their acting was able to pull you into the world they create on the screen.

"Of course not," I answered with a huff. Honestly, how could he think so low of me? I glanced at his forlorn expression. Well, he knew how much I didn't want to upset mom, so I guess it was understandable.

His face shot up and gazed at me with the most hopeful eyes.

"Don't look at me like I am your hand of salvation. I'm not going to tell her, but I am not going to help you either."

His eyes dropped a little. It made me feel guilty. I hadn't even done anything, but I couldn't stand that pitiful expression.

"Ugh! What do you need help with?" I asked, resigning to my fate as his accomplice in crime. His eyes lighted up again and he hugged me.

"I knew you were the best, Nae." That was his nickname for me, and no one, and I really do mean no one, was allowed to use it except for mom and him.

"What do you need?" I asked in fake annoyance.

"To forge mom's signature on the audition application," he said in one go. I stared at him.

"Are you serious?" I asked him, hoping against hope that I heard him wrong.

"Come on, Nae. You know that I can't forge her signature to save my life, but you can and none would be the wiser."

"Until mom finds out," I grumbled in irritation.

"I promise I'll tell her, IF I get the role."

I sighed in defeat. "Fine, but I am not involved in any of this if it comes to light. Got it?" He nodded enthusiastically. I shook my head and signed the paper.

"Kids come on! You are going to be late." We heard our mom advancing towards our room. Frantically Ren stuffed the forbidden note in his backpack, I rushed with the final touches of my uniform and, just as mom's hand gripped the doorknob, we both hurtled out of the bedroom with benign smiles on our faces.

"Kya! You two scared me. What were you doing?" she asked as her eyes scrutinized us.

"We were getting ready for school," I answered, which was partially true.

She stared at us some more, and then not detecting any fault in what we said, she turned and strode back to the kitchen.

"Fine. You only have a couple of minutes before you have to go so eat as fast as you can." She turned to Ren. "Just don't get indigestion by eating too fast." I snickered but then she turned and glared at me. "And don't try to skimp out from eating because you think you might be late." I saw Ren smiling out of the corner of my eye.

I am not a big eater. The only time I ever really eat is if mom feeds me or when Ren makes something. If I am forced to, I have been known to force down a convenience store bento or a bowl of instant ramen. Ren is an amazing cook, got the skills from my mom. To say I am bad at cooking would be an understatement. Everything I make turns into a cancer causing chunk of charcoal, no matter how closely I pay attention to it. It seems completely unfair that as twins, my brother was born with the skill of making food good whereas I was granted the skill of making good food set on fire.

We ate as fast as we could and rushed out after saying goodbye to mom. We walked at leisure; we had enough time to get there in time.

"What time do you need to be at the audition?" I asked.

"10 o'clock this morning," he answered.

I stopped abruptly, and when he saw I was standing still, he pulled himself to a halt and stared at me a questioning look on his face.

"You're going to miss school?" I asked incredulously.

"I have to," he answered unabashedly.

"Mom is going to find out," I retorted, trying to make him see the inevitable consequences of his action.

He nodded.

"I know but she either finds out after I take the audition and I tell her about it myself or not at all, if you make up an excuse why I am not at school. I know teachers like you and most see you as more trustworthy than any 10 year old they ever met. You can lie for me." And then as an afterthought he added "or pretend to be me."

"Reeennn!" I yelled exasperatedly. "I said I am not going to get involved, but not only did I forge mom's signature for me, you want me to excuse you as well. That's too much," I complained.

"Ahh! Come on Nae… For me?" He knew that if I started helping I was going to help till the end. I hate that I can't resist him. He got closer and batted his eyelashes like a girl. I laughed.

"Oh, ok! Not much sense into resisting now."

"Yay!" he jumped up and then hugged me, the second time today. "You really are the best, Nae."

"Tell me you brought another change of clothes."

He took a pair of jeans out of the backpack and showed them to me.

"Let's get to school so people can see you. Change yourself in the bathroom and sneak out. I'll figure it out from there."

He nodded seriously.

We took off in a sprint seeing as our little conversation took longer than we thought. Seeing that his face was red and dripping from sweat when we reached the school I unbuttoned his shirt and loosened his tie to make it seem that he is so hot from the fever he couldn't stand being dressed and then told him to act as though he was sick.

"Convincingly sick." I added.

He nodded and went limp, seeking my support while walking.

He really was good. Everyone was convinced that he was one step away from his deathbed and by the time school started, I didn't need his uniform to pretend I was him. With my talent at fibbing I quickly weaved up a sob story of how Mom was working too hard and couldn't be bothered because she would get in trouble with her boss and that she let my brother in my care. Needless to say, his homeroom teacher didn't call her, and Ren was sent home. After walking with him for as long as it would take us if we were actually going home, I looked into his eyes and wished him farewell and good luck. As I turned and headed back to school, my stomach turned in knots, making me feel like I was the one who will take the audition, not my brother.

**Ren's POV (en-chi)**

I was finally out of the school after I said goodbye to Kanae. I pulled on a cap and pushed it close to my face and took off running towards LME, the best show business agency in Japan. I picked LME, not only because it's the best agency, but it also had my mom's favorite actors…that way she might be more lenient on me trying to become an actor.

I finally made it to the agency at 9 o'clock.

I entered the room and I was blinded by all the other boys in the room. They all sparkled. I felt intimidated. I looked somewhat like a beggar or just a little bit better, but these clothes were some of my best. I became scared: 'What if I won't make it? What if everyone else is better than me or will be picked because they look better? What if I went through all this for nothing?' I writhed in agony at the thought. People gave me a wide berth and the other participants looked at me like I was crazy and dangerous, but I didn't pay them much attention. I suddenly felt my whole body vibrate like an extremely dexterous hula dance move. I looked down and realized it was the phone Seiji-san gave me was going off. It was a present to mom for all of us to have cell phones because Tokyo is dangerous. I think it was only for my mom though because I saw how he looked at her and it was nothing like an onii-san would look at his sister. But I left it alone. Kanae said I was crazy to think that he might want more than a sibling relationship with my mom, but I think that's because Kanae has a hard time thinking that someone might suit mom eventually and she would actually consider remarrying, no matter how much she loved dad. It's hard for me as well to think that mom might end up remarrying so I try to wedge in between mom and Seiji-san when I know he is going to make a move. The cell phone was something I needed to get used to as I never had one before. I looked at it and saw a message from Nae.

"**I know by now you are writhing in agony" **I whipped my head left and right and did a whole sweep of the place with my eyes to see if she was there "**and no I am not there" '**how does she know all these things' "**stop trying to figure out how I know what you are doing." **I shivered she must have ESP "**Anyways, wanted to tell you that you will be fine. I am confident in your abilities, so go out there and give the best performance you can ever give. One more thing, know that if mom finds out, we are both going to be in a lot of trouble so at least win so that my efforts won't be for nothing."** I can see her looking at me in a fake mad mood. I smiled. Her message made me feel a lot better. I took a deep breath and exhaled. Opening my eyes I felt my determination overcoming all my fears. This is what I want and I am going for it with the support of my best twin sister.

**Ren Tsuruga's POV**

I was getting frustrated with all the kids coming through the door. The minute they saw me they either became too flustered to act or they tried too hard to impress me. It was finally the last boy's turn. I was itching to get out of the chair and run home. It was supposed to be my day off. 'It's all the fault of the president with his obsessive desire for me to experience love again. How is being here going to help? ' I silently thought to myself.

"They don't even have an ounce of acting capability," the director complained as he stretched his arm out over his head and let out an irritated sigh. Iro Tako was a stickler for the best actors and he wanted the best. He hadn't been in the industry for almost a decade, and for his comeback he wanted to give people a romantic, cry your eyes out tragedy with the best actors. This meant I was going to play opposite both Kanae Kotonami, and Chiori Amamaya. With these two I knew this job was going to be like standing on a train track and watching myself be smashed to bits by the full force of my memories of "her". Kotonomi was going to be the wife I abandoned and Chiori was playing my sister-in-law. And the boy was going to be my son. He's the most important because the drama is mostly between the father and the son coming to terms with each other. After the wife and sister-in-law reluctantly excuse my character for leaving after discovering that he did it to protect them all, my character is left to seek the forgiveness from his abandoned child.

"Sir, the last boy will enter now," one of the assistants interrupted as the director carried on a heated discussion with the assistant director and product manager about how untalented the boys were in this audition call.

They all sighed.

"Bring him in."

The last boy entered. He had a hat on, quite inappropriate for the audition I thought, and faded jeans. He actually looked like a beggar of the streets, or something like that. I lost interest right away. He didn't take this audition seriously at all.

"Boy, don't you know how to respect your elders? Take your hat off," the director boomed angrily. The boy flinched and started to shake. I thought he was going to cry, but he took a deep breath and exhaled as he gained control of himself, took his hat off, walked straight to the front of the stage, and looked all of us straight in the eye.

"My name is Ren Ryoutarou, and I would like to audition for the part of Ikari Raii."

My head snapped to look at him and I couldn't believe what was in front of me. It was like seeing myself when I was his age, the Kuon version of myself—blond hair, green eyes—but what shocked me the most was that this boy reminded me of "her"; the way he spoke, the determination in his eyes and the formal bow. I was beyond myself that I didn't even realize that I rose up and slammed my hands on the table until the director spoke to me.

"Tsuruga-san, is something wrong?" I whipped my head to the sound of the director's voice and blinked. After a pause I smiled my gentlemanly smile and sat myself back down, bowing to everyone else in excuse to my inappropriate behavior.

"No, nothing is wrong." I looked back at the boy and I saw the same expression "she" made whenever I showed my gentlemanly smile. I wanted to ask who his mother was, I wanted to ask him a lot of things but I forced myself to stay seated. My whole body shook inwardly and I bit my tongue in order to keep quiet and not bombard the boy with my multiple insane questions.


	6. Chapter 5

Ren's POV (En-chi)

As I stepped forward and announced my name I let my imagination turn the judges into trees so that I would stop being nervous. This technique was something Nae taught me. We had heard before that to stop being nervous you should imagine your audience naked, but me and Nae didn't want to. Just thinking about adults being naked made us throw up in our mouths, so Kanae made up the technique and taught it to me, to imagine people as trees as nature made both of us relaxed and at peace. I was doing perfectly fine until I heard the noise of a table being slammed, it broke my concentration and let my mind actually see the people in the room. I saw that the director was right in front of me, on his left there was the producer and on his right there was the assistant director and after the assistant director, I couldn't believe my eyes, there in all his glory was THE Tsuruga Re! Nae will be so jealous when I was going to tell her about how the audition went. As I was looking at him, he was looking at me with so much intensity that was actually freaking me out. When the director asked him what's wrong he showed the "the lady's smile." It was the same smile that Kanae shows when she is mad, upset or angry but she doesn't want to show it, so she smiles this bright smile. Usually the smile is followed by a sugar coated insult or a blunt insult that goes over your head since the person IS smiling at you. I wanted to run. I knew what was behind that mask and I could tell everyone, it was NOT a pretty sight. The actor looked at me strangely as I took a step back involuntarily.

"Boy!" I snapped my head towards…the director, for the main purpose to avoid that smile. "Can you do this?"

I nodded.

"Do you have any acting experience?" the assistant director asked.

I wondered about what to tell them. I never actually acted professionally, but throughout my life I had to act to survive and then switching between being Kanae and being myself you could say in a way I had experience in acting. I and Nae felt naturally doing it, like it was in our nature, like it was in our blood something we were born with. Plus, whenever we even thought about entering a school theater program, we couldn't because we knew we wouldn't stay long to get a chance to be involved in anything even though we both really wanted to.

"Not professionally, sir." I answered because I knew they weren't looking for "street acting."

They all sighed like the world just ended. I could see it in their eyes that they gave up on me. That got up my fighting spirit and my nervous melted in front of these ignorant people. 'I'm going to show them not to ever underestimate me' I thought.

"Tsuruga-san will you do us the honor of acting with this boy." The director asked looking at the famous actor pitifully. I was ready for whatever they would throw at me and let them eat their words and wipe that expression off their faces. At this point I didn't care who I acted with, before I might have felt nervous but right now, they, even THE Tsuruga Ren, ignited my fighting spirit.

"Yes, sir."

The actor got up and stood in front of me, he looked…bored. I really thought that was inappropriate of him, I was starting to really dislike this people, no matter of how important they were. If I didn't have a lot of experience hiding my emotions I would have "sneered".

"Let's take the scene where Raii meets his father at the playground and ask for forgiveness and Raii gets mad at him and tells him to never come back again."

I looked at the four people in the room and I could see by the smile on their faces that they knew I'll fail, because this was the hardest, most emotional scene in the drama. I internally smiled, this was going to be so easy.

For me this scene was the one that spoke to me the most. I just had to be myself. Instead of our father dying, I had to imagine him abandoning my beautiful mother and my sister. I can relate to Raii hating his father but also wanting him in his life, to make his mother happy, to be happy himself.

"Yes, sir." Ren answered and his whole stance changed, it was incredible, it seemed like Kanae's way of getting into a character.

I was getting excited. With Nae being the exception, I didn't have many people to try my acting on. The people we had the slightest chance to try our acting on were never on a level that would challenge me and Nae.

"Ready?" the assistant asked. I nodded and I turned myself towards the door.

"Start." The director said.

I walked towards the door and then acted like I was sitting on a bench, just like in the script.

'He was in deep thought about his father coming back and his mother crying that even though she hated his father for abandoning her with a four year old, she was also happy he wasn't dead. Raii barely knew his father but he did remember that they were a happy family and the fact that his father loved his mother and him.

"Raii?" His father called out to the silent boy hesitantly. Raii didn't hear, still deep in thought.

"Son?" His father tried again with more confidence.

Raii raised his head and looked at his father, not really seeing him there. The minute Raii registered in his brain who he was looking through, he sneered and started walking away furious.

"Son, wait. Raii, please!" His father pleaded.

He stopped and his father looked anxiously at his son's back.

Raii turned around and it looked like demons were swirling around him'.

I slipped a little off from my character when I saw the four people in the room looking a little scared by my aura. I did have little demons swirling around me, in glee at my dark thoughts. They have been with me since I started hating the life me, my mom and Nae were living. It was fun traveling but we always had to change cities, schools and whenever we got caught, which happened only once, my mom got hurt and that's when I found my hidden aura and that's also the incident when Nae discovered her "lady's smile." I shuddered at the memory.

They were waiting for me and I got myself back in character.

"Excuse me, SIR. I was told not to talk to strangers." Raii turned back again and started walking away.

"Wait, please, Raii let me explain."

"Explain? Explain?!" Raii turned towards his father in anger.

"What's there to EXPLAIN?" Raii spat the word in venom. "You abandon me and my mom. You ran by yourself and we suffered from everyone around us, but more importantly you hurt my mother, the person you swore to love and cherish forever. Why is it that adults always break their promises at a drop off a hat?" He spoke in menace.

"I..I.."

"Yes, exactly. You." He wanted to run, he wished his father stayed dead. Their life was finally going on track and now this man shows up and screws everything.

"I couldn't…stay, son. You said you suffered from me not being here but I would have made you suffer even more if I was close to you. The debts I had, the crimes I committed, they caught up with me. When I met your mom I changed, I went straight, I thought my sins were forgiven, I thought I would be alright if I had your mom and forgot about my other life, but even if I forgot about it, the people in that life did not forget about me. I assured your safety and your mom's by disappearing." His father looked like his life left him and was about to break down crying. "I didn't want to leave you and especially your mom, she was my rain of sunshine. She was EVERYTHING to me, but if she could be safe without me by her side then I will ensure it even if it breaks my soul."

"You really think I believe you?" He laughed maniacally. "You really think she hasn't suffered?_ You_ really think that you leaving HELPED US? Why didn't you talk to her? Why didn't you let her make her choice? You only thought about yourself." He started crying silent tears falling one by one slowly on his cheeks "There are so many ways we could have been safe together. If only you made sure that we were safe, not only physically but emotionally. If we forgive you now, how can we be sure that you won't disappear again? How can we trust that next time you'll take us with you? I won't forgive someone that breaks his promises." He yelled the last sentence and ran away.'

I broke character and looked around the room at four stunned faces.

'Yes, me'. I cheered in my head. That's what they get for underestimating a kid.

"Ahem." I cleared my throat a little bashful, because they were staying too long in that position.

"You really had no experience in acting?" the producer asked awed, while everyone got their bearings.

"No professional experience." I answered a little embarrassed.

"You may go, now. We'll call you with the results." the director said in a clipped voice.

My spirits got low. I must have been really bad, I did go off script for the last dialog but I just nodded and left a little disappointed to not find out more of how I did, as I walked out of the audition room and realized the time I actually felt relieved that they let me go because it was almost time to get home from school. There might be other kids that had more experience than I do, no, I knew there had to be more kids with a whole lot more experience than me but it felt so great to act with a professional actor, I still felt the goose bumps after I gave the speech as Raii. He was actually not supposed to cry, but I was so much in character it came so naturally.

"I can't wait to tell Nae." I said to myself as I hurried through the crowd.

**Thank you to everyone who still has this story as a favorite or even remembers it. No I have not forgotten about it but I had the worst writer's block in history. I hope you enjoy the new chapter. If you want to contribute to the story let me know because I do not mind. I love reading anything, especially good story and mine I think lack some finesses so I appreciate all the help I could get.**

**Thank you Ki-chan for looking over the chapter and helping me. I greatly appreciate it. SO now on with the story, hope it's good enough. THank you again to everyone.**

**Disclaimer: No way do I own Skip Beat, if I did the story would not have been as amazing as it is right now.**

**AWESOME JOB NAKAMURA-SENSEI.**


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